


3 A.M.

by femkakashi



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Hurt, M/M, Naruto is soft angry boy, Neji is baby, short fic, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-20 12:39:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19376878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/femkakashi/pseuds/femkakashi
Summary: It’s three in the morning and neither of them can sleep.





	3 A.M.

**Author's Note:**

> Short fic so I can practice my writing! Hope you enjoy!

Neji couldn’t sleep. 

And the reason was the boy next to him. 

Lee had his mouth open and the noise coming out of him rivaled that of an angry bullfrog. They were lucky this wasn’t a mission of stealth because Lee’s snoring would definitely alert any enemies in a fifty-mile radius. Neji kicked off his blankets and left their shared room, not noticing one of the four other beds was empty. He walked down the wooden hall of Captain Yamato’s jutsu home, passing the girls room and their sensei’s room.

He gently opened the front door only to be greeted with the dark figure of someone sitting on the steps. 

“Naruto?” He said softly. 

Naruto flinched and Neji saw his hands come up to his face. “Are you crying?” He asked not moving from the doorway. 

“No.” He tried to lie but the scratch in his voice gave it away. 

Neji didn’t say anything he simple just stepped forward and settled down on the step next to Naruto. The blonde boy couldn’t stop his tears and he gave up on trying to push them back. Neji studied his profile, his skin had gotten darker with them traveling through the Sand and the bags under his eyes were heavy. 

“When’s the last time you slept properly?” Neji asked.

Naruto clicked his tongue. “Hell if I know.” 

“Are you crying over Sasuke?” 

Naruto’s head snapped towards him and his eyes sharpened. “Do you always have to be so blunt?” 

“So I’m right?” Neji said and Naruto dropped his head, his hands went into his messy hair and he laughed. 

“I’m pathetic.” He mumbled. “I just want to punch him in his stupid face and kick him to the other side of the world.” Naruto was up on his feet in an instant, shoving his hands deep into his pockets he began pacing in front of Neji. “Are we not enough? Were we not good enough? I mean, damnit, we were his family!” 

“Naruto—“ 

“He had Sakura, Kakashi, and me! Why wasn’t that enough!” He screamed. “I could have helped him, I should have helped him!” 

“Naruto it’s not your fault!” Neji said and stood on the bottom step. 

“Everyone keeps telling me that but it doesn’t mean I can’t stop thinking that. He left because I wasn’t there for him and because I wasn’t strong enough to stop him!” 

“A weak person would have given up by now, a weak person would have forgotten about him. Naruto you’re the farthest thing from weak.” Neji said his cheeks flushing. “Naruto I’ve always—“ He stopped himself.

The blonde boy stopped, his body slowly turned to face Neji. “What?” 

“Nothing.” He started back up the steps. “It’s three in the morning we should try to get some sleep.” 

A hand grabbed onto the back of his shirt stopping him. 

“What were you going to say Neji?” His voice was soft and the grip on the back of Neji’s shirt was desperate. “I hate when people keep things from me, so what were you going to say.” 

“I’ve always admired you.” He said and let the air settle. The only thing he could hear was Naruto’s breathing and the nature around them. “You never give up, you always keep pushing, nothings impossible for you.” 

“Neji I don’t under—“ 

“I was raised in a family where I was told to sit still and be quiet. I had my whole life planned out for me before I could even walk. You were the opposite, you had no one there for you but you're here today in the same position as someone who had everything.” 

“Neji I really don’t understand.” He grabbed one of Neji’s shoulders and turned him around, his blue eyes met his lilac ones and Neji sighed. 

“If had been stronger...if I had grown up a little faster...I could have saved him.” It was Neji’s turned to bite his lip hold tears back. “You’re so determined, a feeling I’ve only felt out of pure anger but it comes from a place of love for you. I want to be able to feel that Naruto. I’m tired of being angry and hurt.” 

If Naruto wasn’t standing a few steps below him Neji would have crumbled to the ground. Strong arms wrapped around him, pulling the crying boy into his chest and rested a hand on the back of his neck. 

“The Hyuuga Clan, as I see it, is a clan based on hate and the need to feel superior,” Naruto whispered. “You were raised with hate in your heart but that doesn’t mean you can’t start over. Unlike Sasuke, I won’t let you go on without knowing you have a family. You have Lee, TenTen, Gai-Sensei.” A soft hand cupped Neji’s cheek and his face was lifted up. “And me, you have me.” 

Naruto leaned forward and pressed his lips onto the tattoo that scared Neji’s forehead. “That is no longer a symbol of inferiority, it’s a reminder of how far you’ve come and the person you’ll grow to be.” 

Neji’s heart clenched in his chest and he buried his face into Naruto’s neck. 

“Thank you, Naruto.” He whispered.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading feel free to follow me on twitter @akahgashi


End file.
